Issues in Public and Nonprofit Administration

Controversy Every 4 Years!

A very recent controversy that hits all the levels of government, local, state and federal, and it happens every four years, electing a new president. For some reason, this recent election brought up more disagreement than usual. From Donald Trump refusing to release his taxes to Hillary’s lack of trust and Trump not having any political background.

One controversy that was brought up in the recent election and still ongoing is Trump refusing to release his taxes. “Trump became the first major party nominee since 1972 not to release his tax returns” (Bradner/CNN 2017). In my opinion, why does Trump need to release his taxes? “You know, the only one that cares about my tax returns are the reporters, OK? They’re the only ones,” he said (Bradner/CNN 2017). I agree with President Trump the only people that want to see his taxes are is enemies on Capitol Hill. It does not really give Trump an advantage or disadvantage now since the election is over. To me that is the only reason a candidate’s tax information is released is for the other side to find dirt.

Turning gears to the democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton. It would take pages to go into detail with each specific controversy from Benghazi to the email server and to the Clinton Foundation so I am just going to say one word about Hillary, trust. In my opinion, the American people just don’t trust Hillary Clinton anymore based on everything she has done. “Hillary Clinton can’t be trusted because she’ll do anything to win. That’s what several participants in a focus group of thirty undecided voters moderated by Republican strategist Frank Luntz on Friday in Alexandria, Virginia, seemed to believe” (Foran 2016). To me, Hillary has just tried so hard to become president. In 2008, she went up against Obama for the democratic nomination then again in 2016 against Bernie Sanders. Then in the general election against Trump, the republican nominee. “It’s no secret a lot of Americans don’t trust the Democratic nominee. It’s harder to say exactly why. High-profile controversies, including Clinton’s decision to use a private email server and refusal to release transcripts of her Wall Street speeches, may leave the impression that she has a habit of concealing things” (Foran 2016). Some people will say it’s because she was a woman she lost or other things but in all reality, it came down to trust.

Donald Trump not having any political background, in my opinion, is not a horrifying thing. Trump being a businessman and no political or military background was a hot topic for a while but does it matter? There are many former presidents that come from business to name a few George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Jimmy Carter and more. “Mahaffee noted that many of the earliest Founding Fathers, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, had various business interests as plantation owners” (Koran & Browne/CNN 2016). There is minimal difference between president and business; it still is a hierarchy system. “Wendell Willkie, was the last person before Trump to have never held government office prior to winning the nomination” (Koran & Browne/CNN 2016). I think that is why people are so timid about Trump is because he has never held public office. I like Trump because he has put everyone in Washington on their toes. He turned the entire GOP upside down and still managed to win the election. The American people are just tired of career politicians, I know I am.

In conclusion, Donald Trump, just saying his name brings up controversy. Believe it or not, love him or hate him Trump is our 45th president of the United States. We, the American people, voted him in using the same system we have used in years past. With any election year comes an abundance of controversy; republican or democrat, blue or red, elephant or donkey, him or her but with all the controversy the result is always the same, a new president.